In the toy field, there exists a need for a hammering game apparatus which is amusing and entertaining. Further, present-day game players prefer games which require challenging hand-eye coordination. Moreover, the game must be safe for children to play.
Various hammer-motif game and toy devices have been disclosed in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,540,061 discloses a hammer toy which includes a base, a cover overlying the base, the cover having a plurality of holes, a spring urging apart the cover and the base, pegs extending through each hole in the cover, the pegs being frictionally held in place in the holes. The pegs can be individually hammered and moved downward through the holes. The pegs can be repositioned for further hammering by collapsing the cover towards the base against the action of the spring which causes the pegs to move outwardly. To accomplish this, a head can be struck with a sharp blow with the hammer to compress the spring-biased cover toward the base. The pegs are frictionally held within the holes in the cover by a resilient band such as a rubber band which encircles the pegs underneath the cover.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,608,903 discloses a toy game apparatus which comprises a game box enclosing inflated balloons. The game box is opaque with an open bottom wherein the top of the box provides a playing surface having precut nail-receiving perforations. Perforations are Y-shaped and are constructed to enable the offering of some resistance to driving the nails through them. The game additionally comprises nails and a conventional hand-held hammer.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,841,629 discloses a game apparatus where players strike plungers on a base which, through linkages, cause pivotal movement of numbered flaps also on the base. The plungers are struck with a hand-held striking member which has an elongated handle portion and an enlarged striking portion. The striking member may be shaped in the form of a tomahawk, with the game apparatus stimulating a drum.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,319,751 (the '751 patent) discloses a game apparatus including a base with two stationary figures, each figure including a pivotally mounted shield and hammerhead. The shield and hammerhead of each figure are linked together with a common spring return and are simultaneously moved by depressing a button on the base linked to the shield and hammer. Each player moves their respective hammerhead in an attempt to strike the head of their opponent's playing member. A successful blow to the opponent results in the release of the head from the body of the opposite playing member.